


It's too late (it's too soon)

by innocent_until_proven_geeky



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Children of Earth Compliant, Episode: s03e04 Children of Earth - Day 4, M/M, Whump, no beta we die like captain Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 04:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30050217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innocent_until_proven_geeky/pseuds/innocent_until_proven_geeky
Summary: It is too soon for Ianto Jones to die, and too late for Jack to save him, and Ianto remembers.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19
Collections: Torchwood Fan Fests: Music Fest 2021





	It's too late (it's too soon)

**Author's Note:**

> **Warning:** This fic is literally just Ianto's death scene. I mean, it's not, it's deeper than that (which might actually be worse), but it also is, and I know I have friends who have a hard time with that so please take care of yourself and don't read it if it's going to be too much.
> 
> This fic was written for the [Torchwood Fan Fests](https://torchwoodfanfests.tumblr.com/) 2021 Music Fest. The title (and inspiration for this story) is from [Tick Tick Boom](https://open.spotify.com/track/6tedQ1ZmbygqhbdcfJL7Xb?si=ZhQVdfaLSxKL1M7Yb6WMVw) by The Hives.

_I take it back. I take it all back, but not him!_

And now Ianto was certain he would never hear Jack say it.

_I love you. Don’t._

He didn’t have to say it, of course. He never had to say it.

_Better than death? Ianto…._

Ianto had to say it. Ianto had to say it, because it was his last chance, and he never knew if his actions were enough the way Jack’s always were, and--

It was getting harder to breathe, and he tried to focus on Jack’s face.

_I came back for you._

If he could just reach out and wipe Jack’s damned tears away. He didn’t know if he would remember anything in death, but if he did, be damned if it was Jack crying over him that he saw last in the world.

_Careful. That’s harassment, sir._

If he weren’t actively in the process of dying--and there was no use denying it or trying to get out of it now, he was dying, even if the 456 had some sort of antidote or antivirus Ianto knew his body well enough to know it was too late--if he weren’t actively in the process of dying, he might laugh. It had been rare in those days for him to be genuinely happy, but Jack’s flirting had always made him happy, made him feel seen even when the rest of the world ignored him. Even when the rest of Jack ignored him.

_Being here, I’ve seen things I never dreamt I’d see. Loved people I never would’ve known if I’d just stayed where I was. And I wouldn’t change that for the world_.

Ianto would never hear those three words from Jack. He’d never hear them from anyone again, but he’d never hear them from Jack. But some things had been better, maybe. Definitely.

Damn it, was he crying? He couldn’t really tell. Everything was very uncomfortable just now, bordering on painful. Ianto focused on Jack’s face.

_While I was away, I was thinking. Maybe we could--when this is all done--dinner? A movie? Are you asking me out on a date?_

It was like being torn apart from the inside, only his senses were dulled; but Jack’s hand was warm against his cheek, Jack who must be feeling the same things Ianto was only he would live forever, he would live forever alone and--

“Don’t forget me.”

Jack tried and failed to smile at him.

“Never could.”

_Us together. That could never be boring._

“A thousand years’ time,” Ianto said, and he was spiraling because he was dying, damn it he was dying and he was going to leave Jack alone and he was only twenty-fucking-seven and leaving the love of his life alone and he was _terrified_ and the only thing he could think was, “You won’t remember me,” and he was definitely crying now.

“Yes, I will,” Jack said. His voice was incredibly even, despite his clear anguish. “I promise I will.”

Any other time, any other day, Ianto would have smiled, soft and shy, but today he couldn’t breathe, so he only looked up at Jack and tried to force himself to relax through the instinctive reactions of his lungs and through the fear and through the sorrow until he didn’t feel it anymore.

Until he felt nothing anymore.

_Coming here gave me meaning again. You_.

:::

His name was Ianto Jones. And he saved the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Consider checking out my writing blog, [Ver Writes Things](https://ver-writes-things.tumblr.com), or my Torchwood sideblog, [Neurodiverse Myfanwy](https://neurodiverse-myfanwy.tumblr.com). I take prompts and submissions and have a few tumblr exclusives.


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